S'effacer
by Harmonize Insanity
Summary: Two children without a home, one with a great and powerful responsibily ahead-one with misfortune and death in theirs. All they had was each other, from that moment on until their ends. Their stories fade with time, soon almost left forgotten. The stories of Oswald and Lacie, brother and sister doomed from the start. A small collection of short stories with the two siblings.
1. Neige

_**Neige**_

_It's so cold..._

Shivering, the tiny figure pulled their saturated and rough 'blanket' closer, feeling the cold seep into their bones like an injection. Fingers curled around the furled edges of the material-which happened to be an old potato sack found in the nearby garbage-slipping across each loose thread to pass the time. Lifeless eyes observed the world, watching men, women, and children just like themselves pass by without a care in the world, laughing and singing without even sparing a glance of pity towards the now frozen creature hidden away from the world.

_The world's so cold. _

A shallow breath escaped their body, steam swirling about in their face before rising and fading away into the sky. Lifting their head, they watched the strange happening, gaze inert. When nothing was left to be seen, the child's head once more lowered, looking back out from a secluded corner of the world, at all the light and the beauty within the snow and on the streets, inside homes through open windows and in shops with clear windows.

_Cold, yet...beautiful. I love it. _

Despite such hardships, a smile managed to curl upon their dirtied, youthful face. So beautiful, all the lights and the sounds out there in the real world. But what about here, in this little corner? Nothing but darkness, nothing but pain and misery. Suffrage and rejection embraced one with open arms, the poisonous drugs of the fear and hate passing around like the gift of water to a parched man.

_Why can't I join? What makes me so different? _

It was a good question to ask, why couldn't they join? They were just like all the little boys who played soccer in the streets, like the little girls who learned how to sew within a warm and save refuge one would call 'Home', with parents who cared and love them with all their hearts. Why were they rejected when they were the same as everyone else?

_I talk like them, I walk like them. I look like them, I play like them, I smile and I frown like them. So...why? _

Too many questions for the child's mind, a colorful world starting to slip into grey, bits of black showing up here and there. Sleep seemed so welcoming now, the refugee's last hope and comfort left in their possession as they ran into it's arms. That is, until someone tears the child away from those arms, making them jolt with the sound of their voice.

"Lacie?"

Blood red iris' opened fully, their true beauty shining through as the little girl noticed a familiar figure approaching. A boy, his torn shorts and dress shirt covered in filth and grim from their days in the slums, jet black hair in a similar state of uncleanliness and carelessness. Violet eyes met ruby ones, gaze holding for a few seconds before the realization finally registered in the weary girl's mind.

"Oswald..." she murmured, chapped lips once more slipping into a weary smile, "You're back." Oswald gave a soft smile in return, faint and distant as he plopped down next to her, shivering just like she. Without any hesitation, she sat on her knees, removing her make-shift blanket from her shoulders and extended the side, pulling it around her brother's shoulders. Inching closer, she moved herself up against him, hand reaching in front of him to grab the other side of the blanket, in which he too was pulling closer.

"I'm glad you're alright," the boy admitted, nodding his head over towards Lacie as he spoke, "I tried getting food. Those guys running the stands on the next street didn't seem to happy with me coming near." She nodded, eyes downcast towards her bare feet, curling them up and unfurling them to make sure they were still functioning. Silence took warm refuge between the two, it's presence almost making the older brother worry for what might emerge from such silence. What monsters shall show themselves in this silence? What unspoken words will be revealed by his sister today?

"It's 'cause you're with me, right?" Lacie finally spoke, voice distant and faint.

"What...?" he breathed, surprised at her words.

"It's because you were with me yesterday. I'm sorry." slowly, the girl shook her head as she spoke, frowning weakly as guilt seemed to build up around her, the atmosphere ever so saddening.

"Don't apologize," Oswald shifted his body to face her, speaking more seriously than before, "It's not your fault. It's theirs, they are the ones who are being so cruel. Don't think it's because of that myth that keeps flying around." the girl fell silent, her blood red eyes turning listless as her head rested upon her knees, which she hugged tightly.

"...but what if it's true." she grumbled, annoyance ever present with each word.

"It's not, Lacie..." the boy began, wearily, feeling the loss of this argument being laid upon on his shoulders, like Atlas holding up the sky.

"Then why don't they look at me?" Lacie shot back, angrily this time, her fists clenching tightly against her night skirt. Snapping her head away from her brother, she continued, "Why won't they let me play with them? I asked if I could, they all ran away before I could ask what was wrong. I asked for food, but was glared at, some even spitting at me." Her brother fell silent as she stared back towards the ground, fighting back tears of frustration. Hopefully he could not hear the strain in her voice while she did her best not to cry, "I'm just like them...in every way...I don't understand, Oswald."

"Lacie..." he murmured, a hand reaching to gently touch the others cheek, gently pulling her head to face him more directly, "I'm sorry." Now it was her turn to fall silent, her head burying against his shoulder as the people in the outside world carried on, not once noticing the unfolding story before them. Closing her eyes, the girl let her thoughts drift to her imagination, where she had two parents who always smiled and an always cheery brother. Where food seemed fresh, hot, and plentiful, a happy life being played out in a nice, large home with friends and family. Yet, she found herself torn away from her visage as something cold fell against her face, the wind swirling her blanket and nightdress around in the breeze.

Pulling the blanket closer, she sighed, "Why's it so _coldddd_..." she grumbled, rubbing her eyes as a soft chuckle sounded from next to her, "I want to go to sleep, but the cold won't let me! Hmph!" pouting, the little girl folds her arms, shivering once more as her brother's chuckling silenced, his head staring up at the sky before speaking.

"Hey, sister...it's snowing." remarked the boy, his hand pointing up into the air as light snowflakes began to trickle down from the grey and white sky above. Lacie followed his hand towards the sky, also looking up as snow began to surround the two of them. Slipping from her soaking wet burden of a blanket, she stands up, hands extended up into the air.

A gasp of awe escaped her before she could help it. "It's beautiful~!" Lacie chimed, swaying from foot to foot as the cold no longer became a huge concern, the pure white substance swaying about in the breeze around her. Her brother watched her spin about with glee in silence, a soft smile in place while doing so. "Snow's so white! I wonder why it's white, not black or red or blue. Blue would be a pretty color, Oswald! Or maybe green! I wonder what people would say if the snow was red, they seem to have a thing against that color, I'll have you know!" waving her hands dramatically about in the air, she swirled about on one foot, long black hair and dirtied night gown swaying in the air. "Would they reject the snow, I wonder? Would they send it to the little time out corner if the snow was red?"

"...I certainly wonder..." Oswald murmured, more amused with the fact that his sister seemed to contain more energy than he could ever possibly muster in one sitting, "I certainly wonder." The little girl finished her swirling, a small pout in place as she faced the street, eyes darting back and forth between random civilians and shop windows.

"They'll see what they've been missing, those guys!"

"Eh?"

He gently raised an eyebrow, lost for words as to what his sister could possibly be reffering to when she suddenly fell back by his side, pulling the other half of their potato sack over her shoulders, extending her bare legs out into the cold. "Why did you stop?" the question slipped out of the boy's lips before he could hold it back, "You looked like you were having fun." Slowly, Lacie nodded, eyes closing as she leaned against his shoulder, sighing softly before explaining.

"I'm tired. I'll rest a bit first, then I'll play." a very soft smile flickered across her face as she let herself fade away into sleep, "I'll play with you, or...by myself..." The brother was about to ask what exactly she meant when she had already dozed off, her breathing light and quiet against him. It was only then that he realized just how tired and groggy he truly was, his head gently resting against her own as he too let himself fall into sleep's welcoming arms, eyes closing from the world and opening in a dream when times were better, a brighter future. Silence encased the two of them, a separate world continuing once again without a single care, such as it always will.

* * *

_[I guess this little idea came to mind upon seeing some of surfacage's artwork on Tumblr, so a credit of inspiration and the main cover page goes to her! I hope you enjoyed this, I'm planning to add more chapters and stuff too, so please review?] _


	2. Soleil

_**Soleil  
**_

"Brother! Brother, wake up!" a voice was ringing through the darkness, loud and clear against the deafening silence encasing him in a nest of warmth and peace. There it was again, even louder than the first time, pulling him out of the sea of sleep he found himself drowning within. "Oswwwallddddd! C'monnnn, wake uppp! You're missing it, Oswald! It's snowing _gold_!" Wait..._gold_? Since when was that even _remotely_ possible? It was impossible, there was no way that there could be golden colored snow. Then again, why would Lacie be so eager to wake him up? Reluctantly, he let out a soft moan, eyes lazily flickering open, almost instantly widening upon the sight.

_Golden...snow...! _

The lights swirled gently around them in the wind, flickering like fireflies at night against their skin, around in the air before them, illuminating their dark cove with an almost homely sort of glow, one that seemed to lift his spirits without saying a word. "Oh my god..." he managed to get out, speechless at first, "You're...you're right...!" without any warning, he found himself yanked to his feet, his soaking wet excuse of a blanket dropping off his shoulders without a care in the world.

"Look! They form a trail! See that line, Oswald? right here, down that road...!" Lacie exclaimed, eagerly, tiny fingers pointing out towards the streets of the world beyond, which was almost abandoned now thanks to the snow fall. Slowly, he stepped out towards the edge of the alley, eyes surveying the overwhelmingly white scene before him. White, white, white...gold and white, more gold...she wasn't joking! It _did_ form a trail! Her words interupted his thoughts, pulling him from the depths of his mind once more. "I think we should follow it!"

"Eh? Why?" he exclaimed, surprised.

"We're the only ones who can see it, Oswald!" she retorted, pouting softly.

"And _how_ do you know that, Lacie...?" inquired the brother, skeptical of his sister's words. Secretly, he yearned for her to be right, deep within his heart. Yet his mind said likewise, throwing aside such a notion. Other people _must_ be able to see something this, right? A flash of black suddenly dove before his eyes, making him jump as the girl had taken off down the street, bare feet leaving dirtied imprints against the pure white substance surrounding them in the cold. Gasping, a hand weakly extended in the distance, almost in hopes of trying to reach her despite such distance. _No, no, no, _Lacie, don't go, it's too dangerous to talk to other people-!

Watching her figure sway through the breeze, his eyes widened as she approached a young man, whom was clad from head to toe in warmth. Oh no, oh no, ohhhh no! She was speaking, he could almost hear every word she was saying in the distance-was she speaking so that he could hear her? "Sir~? 'Scuse me! See any gold lights around us? Like little fireflies in the air!" The man had stopped, giving her a very skeptical look in reply before walking past, muttering something under his breath about _'Ye be mad...golden lights, hah! What folly!'_ as he passed the boy. Speechless, Oswald watched as the girl darted back to his side, grinning childishly before him.

"See~?"

"You could have been hurt just now, Lacie-!"

"So? I wasn't! Besides, he walked away."

"But-"

"It's _alright_! Don't worry so much about me, Oswald! I'm _not_ weak, how many times have I said that, yet you still forget?" Lacie complained, cheeks puffing up as she pouted before the boy, arms folded against her body as a chill went up her spine, making her shiver lightly. After a pause, the older of the two finally gave in and nodded, solemnly. What was he to say to her? She was always so much more cut out for the game of survival than he. Pout soon fading, the smile soon curved back up on the girl's face, her hand quickly finding his own and pulling him along down the seemingly empty road. "C'mon, let's check this out! I have a good feeling about this...!" she declared, and with one swift movement she had grabbed the old potato sack back from the alley and pulled it over her head, once useless blanket turned into a nifty turban.

Silently, the two began their quest down the road, shivering once and awhile against the icy chill of the wind. Squeezing their hands tightly together in their grasp, they moved along, hope filling their hearts for the first time in what felt like days. Golden lights gently danced about them, almost beckoning them to continue as they caressed their bare skin, taking away the chills within seconds of contact. They felt so warm, like the touch of a warm hand against his arms, his legs, his face, it was amazing! A smile easily pulled onto the boy's face, all worries of the outcome laying ahead of them now gone. Maybe, just maybe they actually have something to believe in, something to hope for and wish for.

Overwhelmed with the sensation, he flashed his sister a smile, now walking side by side with her. Catching the expression, she shot him a smile of her own back, raising his spirits even further into the clouds above.

* * *

"_Whhoooaaaaaaaa...!_" she breathed, awed by the sight laying before the two siblings. They stood before a rather grand metal gate, a mansion of enormous proportions laying before them in the distance after it. The structure loomed with an air of nobility, quite possibly the farthest thing one could get with the children's rather dirtied appearance Despite such things, the two stood before the gate, still holding hands until finally they let go, each hand dropping back to their sides limply. Widened eyed, it was Oswald who spoke up first.

"T-There's got to be a mistake...why're we here...?" he whispered, completely lost as to what to say about the situation.

"The lights, brother! They go past this gate, can't you see? It's leading to that big fancy door over there!" she explained, hand pointing through the bars of the gate towards the mansion's enormous door, also seeming to loom before them with the air of nobility. "The lights want us to keep going!" she smiled to herself upon saying those words.

"But...wait, Lacie, you said they want us to keep _going_?" worried, Oswald turned his head to his sister, whom was leaning heavily against the gate, hands clenching the bars like a prison cell, blood red eyes almost longing to get through those great big doors in the distance. "How would you know something like that?"

Lacie turned her head towards the boy, cheek pressed against the cool metal before she spoke up, much softer than usual, "I can hear them, that's why. They're calling to me, telling me to get in there. I don't want to say no...!" Baffled, the boy raised an eyebrow, the temptation to argue against this with her growing even stronger. Slowly, he pushed the feeling away, letting out his worry and frustration out in one long, drawn out sigh.

"Lacie...aren't you at least concerned?" he asked, worry filling his voice.

"Why should I be?" the girl replied, rather quietly, "I've always heard them, in my dreams...they always made me smile when I'm sad!" with an eager smile, she looked back towards the mansion doors, hands gripping the bars even tighter than before. "They haven't lied to me yet, Oswald! They're telling me to go in there, I have to go in there!" Again, he found himself speechless, and before he could manage to formulate the right words, he found the make-shift turban flying into his face, a strangled yell escaping him.

"L-Lacie-!" he cried, yanking the dirtied and wet material off of his face, tossing it to the ground as he looked around for the girl. No where in his sight, until-there she was, climbing up the side of the gate with ease, almost showing off her strength and agility right before his eyes. If only there was an audience! The boy gasped, hands gripping the bars as she clamored up the gate, the large crest offering use of footholds and hand holds. Within a few seconds, she had managed to reach the top, gently swinging her legs over to the other side of the gate as a giggle escaped her.

Despite his growing fear for her, Oswald found his feet locked to the ground, too nervous to begin climbing up after her. For what if he fell? He was poor at climbing, poor at anything related to climbing. Nervously, he found himself beginning to tap his fingers against the icy cold metal, creating a beat out of it when suddenly-he heard it. A creak, ringing defiantly through the silence spread between the two siblings, making them both freeze in their places. Lacie swinging her legs gingerly upon the top of the gate, and Oswald, a single hand wrapped around one of the many bars. His eyes locked on the door, the air escaping his lungs as he spotted the great big door in the distance swinging open, a figure in black swaying out of the door's frame. A _man_?!

His breath caught in his throat when he spotted the man start to move towards them, violet hues opened wide with horror. Oh no, oh no oh no oh no oh no. This was the end, they were going to get caught, sold into noble servitude. Maybe even worse for Lacie, made into one of their little play toys, he's heard of such tales from other orphans and children on the streets. The mental image sent a shiver down his spine, suddenly swinging the boy back into reality as a struggled gasp escaped him. "L-Lacie...Lacie, get down, get down-!" Frantically, he looked back up at her, yet she sat still. Closer the man came, even more still the girl had grown, her hands tightly gripping the black metal to hold herself in place. "LACIE!" he found himself yelling out, taking a few steps back from the gate, hands dipping down and picking up the turban.

Before he could run away, he heard a voice, the man so close to the gate now that his own hand was touching the bars. "There's no need to fear me, boy! I'm not here to hurt you and your sister." Frozen in place, the boy found himself glaring at the figure, trying to look for his eyes to try and stare into his soul, intimidate him despite his weakness and size. Yet, there _were_ no eyes, only the lower half of the man's face, a gentle smile curling up on those lips. "Lacie was the name, right, little lady?" His head dipped upwards, staring at Lacie, whom had fallen deathly silent above the two of them. Was that a glare? Or was that an expression of confusion on her face? Oswald didn't dare move, he was too scared and too anxious to move, his nerves once more overwhelming him.

"Yeah." her voice finally sounded, emotionless. Almost as if the angles had come down from the sky and begun to sing to him, the boy dropped to his knees, relief filling his weary bones. He silently listened to her voice, eyes closing for a few seconds, "Who're you?" she asked, curiously, all previous signs of fear or nervousness gone from her exterior. Most likely bottled up inside, like he's seen her do before. "What's with the cloak, too? Way to look like a black market crook, old man." The boy flinched upon the word. Old man?! Jesus, this girl was going to get herself killed with her mouth! A laugh had sounded from the man, ringing around the two children until it finally died away, his frame heavily leaning against the gate separating him and the little boy.

"_Well_ now! No wonder you're so ill mannered, you're a child of misfortune, am I correct?" the man inquired, head once more raising into the heavens to look up at the girl. With a few nods of her head, the girl had silently said yes, leaving it at that as the man smiled even more wickedly than the first time. "Now tell me, little lady, why're you on top of that gate like that? It's a naughty thing to do, especially if you're supposed to be a well mannered lady!" Thinking through his words for a few moments, the girl began to swing her feet lightly back and forth, grinning mischievously.

How easy it was to respond to this question! "Screw that!" Lacie shot back at him, leaning dangerously forwards from her precarious spot on the gate railing, "I don't care about being a lady or not. I wanna be who I wanna be, old man! Who're you to tell me that anyways, my papa? HA!" she swayed lightly back and forth, the man still smiling rather wickedly while staring up towards the girl. After a moment of silence, his pale hands dipped into his pockets, pulling out a single, golden key. With a simple motion and the sound of a click, he swung open the gate door in which Lacie was not currently occupying, his hand outstretched towards Oswald, whom had fallen silent.

"Now, young man, care to get out of the snow and come with me? Your sister, too, if you'd please." the man smiled towards them both now, his other hand reaching up towards Lacie. At first, Oswald just sat there, too shocked to make any movement until he heard the swoosh of fabric rushing through the air, his sister landing almost cat like against the ground, swaying her head back and forth to get her hair out of her eyes. Lacie made anything seem so effortless...he admired that about her. Although, his eyes widened once she stared at his hand, folding her arms crossly against her nightgown.

"Aaaannnnddddd how do we know to trust you, old man?" she asked, rather crossly. With a small sigh, the man let his hands lift up towards his hood, pulling it down for the two children to see his face. Even Lacie seemed surprised, staring up at this guy. He was rather young compared to the little girl's previous nicknames, his late twenties, long white hair almost like the snow surrounding them, his eyes a rather sharp violet against his pale skin. _His eyes don't have whites..._the boy thought, slowly getting to his feet before the man. How strange this man looked, almost like the two of them. Something about that thought seemed to relax the two children a bit more. "Wow, you're pretty strange..." Lacie remarked, cautiously, before extending her had in a sort of peace making process, "Yet...I am too. I can live with this."

A small laugh escaped the man's lips. "Well I'm glad I earned your trust, little lady. Now...how about your brother?" both of their gazes fell onto the boy, whom was slowly extending his own hand for the stranger to take. If Lacie had trusted this man...Oswald might as well do the same. Smiling, the man took both of their hands, a wave of warmth surging through both children almost instantly. Soft hums of pleasure escaped their lips as the man exclaimed, rather surprised, "Whoa, you're freezing-! How long have you two been out here?! Jeeze, you should warm up or something...I'll get you guys a hot bath, some new clothes, how does that sound?" Eagerly, the children nodded, all previous concerns as to where they were going and why gone from their young and youthful minds. Again, a small laugh rang through the air.

"I take it that's a yes! By the way, children...my name is Glen, the duke of the Baskerville dukedom. Welcome to your new home." gently, he walked them along, leaving the gate open for someone else to close in his steed. He lead them inside, away from the cold and dark chapter of the childrens lives, ushering them into a new one-their count down had begun.

* * *

_[Whoa, much longer than the first one! 0.0 I guess you could say that I was really curious to see (and write) how Levi, Oswald and Lacie had first met, what it went like and all. I'm rather proud of how this came out, so I hope you guys enjoy it! Reviews are greatly appreciated! 8D] _


	3. Pleut

The children's timers had begun, ticking away each second until their parting day, the day where Oswald was to be come the new head of the Baskervilles, and Lacie was fated to die. By _his_ hands. Neither sibling spoke of one another's future, all they could truly focus on was the present. Time had gone by soundlessly, Lacie twiddling her thumbs in waiting while Oswald focused on other things-education, mostly. Yet, this did not stop them from meeting on chilly evenings, despite orders to go to bed. No, this didn't stop them at all, the two children playing music with one another long into the night and sharing one another's knowledge with hushed whispers in the Library corridors. Despite such fate ahead of them...they made the most of it.

Lacie was silently flicking through pages of a textbook, allowing herself to bask in the knowledge in which her brother had learned prior that day. A language, french in particular, spoke from the worn bindings of the book in hushed candle light, her delicate fingers skimming over each word as she mouthed them. Oh, French was a beautiful language, one she adored speaking with her brother. The two were starting to get the basics, speaking silently to one another in language that nobody else could understand. Oswald had not yet shown up at the Library, falling late to his usually dutiful schedule.

How curious. Closing the book, the eighteen year old stood up, long black hair glossing over the frame of her seat as she pulled her cloak closer to her body, nightgown flickering in the lantern light as she began to investigate. Where had he even gone? Perhaps Glen had kept him in his lessons...that happened on occasion. One look at the grandfather clock behind her cast away such suspicion though. It was almost eleven thirty. He was never this late...maybe something went wrong?

"Oswald?" the girl called out quietly, her bare feet carrying her towards the grand door at the other end of the vast room. Fingers gently caressed the wooden frames of the two mass doors before her, an ear going against the side of it in careful listening. Nothing. Raising an eyebrow, she took a few steps back, twirling about in a circle to look. Only the sight of her dim lantern, a few shelves and, obviously, books. _Where on earth is he...? _Without a word, she traveled back to her solitary study spot, sinking herself back into the chair and folding her legs quietly over one another in the form of a pretzle. With a soft hum, she flipped the pages back open, once more submersing herself into the French language.

Pencil in hand, she swept through each subject without fail, doing her best with the assignments that had been given to her. Their routine was the same every day, Oswald giving her the lesson that he had learned from his own teachers that day and assigning the same problems to do. Then once checked the next night, they moved onto the next one. Lacie didn't mind doing the work, she almost felt like an equal to 'Glen' himself with her new-found knowledge, an equal to everybody in the household with this secret education. The Baskervilles taught her bare minimums, the rules of being a lady and manners compared to a language, mathematics and science, reading, music composition, and all the other beauties of knowledge available.

Not to mention these moments offered her a comforting friend. Since the two are almost always separated-weather it's duty, education, or staying in the tower, hiding in the cover of darkness in the library seemed to be one of their few times in which one another could simply be themselves. No longer was she the 'Child of Misfortune', the burden and sinful creature whom lived in the tower, and no longer was he the next heir to the Baskervilles, they were simply the little boy and girl back in the alleyways, huddling with one another for warmth.

_'tap, tap' _

Was that...knocking? The teenager blinked, startled from her work at the sounds, quickly extinguishing the lantern within seconds. She mustn't get caught, she mustn't get caught. Standing up, she began to move all the books and papers back under the desk, hands grazing each material to locate it in the darkness. Using the moonlight, she made her way around the table and towards the great doors once more, pulling her cloak over her head as a way to conceal her face and opened the door. What truly caught her sight made her freeze in place.

It was Oswald, the familiar cuffs of his sleeves shown as he too wore his blood red cloak, a soft smile over his lips. A small cake was in his hands, with a layer of white icing that read the simple lettering of 'Happy Birthday, Lacie' on the top. Speechless, she took a step back, watching him pull the door shut behind him and remove his hood with a spare hand, an almost embarrassed sort of look over his face. "Oswald, what's that...?" Lacie began, pointing quietly to the cake as he moved past her, making his way towards their little table near the back of the Library. Setting down the cake, he turned to face her, withdrawing a candle or two from his pocket and placing them into the top of the cake.

"What does it appear to look like, sister?" his question threw her, the lantern light once more illuminating the space around them as he re-lit it. Her blood red gaze examined the cake, which seemed rather nicely made. The lettering is what threw her off the most, surprising her more than anything.

"A...birthday cake." she managed.

"A birthday cake, yes...I apologize if it appears rather...messy." the older brother mumbled, a hand gently sweeping through his hair in silence.

"...Oswald...did you make this?" Lacie couldn't help but asking, maneuvering around the table to stare down upon the gift in surprise, "I'm not sure what to say...! It looks delicious...!"

He lightly shifted in place, that soft smile of his perking up out of the corner of her eye, "No, I was not the one who made the cake, but...I had done the lettering." he explained, pulling up a chair behind his sister while saying so. Noticing his action, she took a seat as he pulled some matches out of his pocket, lighting the two small candles that were placed there earlier. Strangely...she found herself beaming, eyes shining slightly in the candle light as soon as she heard the first notes. Oswald was singing, very gently, the tune of Happy Birthday. It was a different arrangement in a sense, but was even better than the original. She closed her eyes, silently mouthing along the words as he sang to her.

Nothing was more soothing for when her brother sang , that was for sure. He didn't do it too often in front of her, and often stuck to playing on the piano, yet she was the only one he sang willingly. Lacie was grinning, hearing those final notes play out in her little moment of heavenly bliss. _'Happy Birthday dear Lacie, happy birthday to you...' _Quietly, she blew out the candles, hearing a soft clap or two following suit. She was still grinning, hands clasped together as he pulled a seat next to her and shifted the cake between them on the table, pulling out a small cutting knife. "Oswald, I have no idea what to say...! You've never really gotten a cake for me before! You must have went through a lot to get this made." Lacie exclaimed, watching as he pulled out a small wad of napkins from his coat pocket and placing them down on the table in silent layers.

"It was rather hard to do so when younger...I'm rather pleased that I was able to get one this year for you. It's your nineteenth birthday now, it is about time for a proper sort of celebration." Oswald remarked, cutting out two slices of the desert for the two of them. He gently placed a slice on each square space of napkins, leaving two extra to use as he pulled two forks from his other pocket. "I apologize for not grabbing any plates...it would have been too loud to carry along with the cake." he explained, wearily, not noticing his sister's eager first bite.

The teenager's face lit up, a soft hum of pleasure sounding as she allowed herself to bite into the cake. Oh, how delicious it was...! "Oh man, it's my favorite, marble! Seriously, what did you go through to get somebody to make this?" Lacie inquired, taking another eager bite with her fork. His face lit up in silence, violet eyes gazing down upon his own slice before continuing. "I simply said that I wanted a cake made. Before I could really give a proper sort of explanation, they had set to work without question. And thus...I have it now." the young man chuckled a little bit, taking another bite as the two allowed themselves to eat the cake. Lacie couldn't remember her actual birth date, she had simply guessed that it was in her favorite time of year-winter, early on in the new year. From the age of five onwards, it had always been on the eleventh day of the new year, and that was that.

"Ah...Lacie, how are you on your studying?" Oswald asked, gently placing his fork down as he finished his slice. Digging into another, Lacie nodded her head towards the floor, smiling lightly.

"_C'est sous la table, dans le livre.*" _Lacie smirked as he dipped his head under the table, picking up the materials from previous. Opening the textbook, he began to scan her work as she continued to eat the cake, glancing over only when he gave a soft nod of approval.

"_Tès bien, tu es Français s'améliore_.**" he replied, smiling as he closed the book. To her surprise, he pushed it off to the side, near the far edge of the table as he turned his seat to face her, reaching into one of his inner pockets. Blinking, she took another bite of cake, letting it sit in her mouth as he pulled out a small, black box, wrapped up with a neat little purple bow. "Here-for you." he placed the box lightly upon the table.

For...her? "What's this..?" she inquired, setting down her fork as she began to pull away at the small strings, raising a curious eyebrow as the lid was lifted. A small silver bracelet lay inside, a thin row of amethyst diamonds gracing upon the top of the object with a pattern engraved onto each side of the gems which held them in place. The material was loose, a wide but thin chain holding it together with a small silver clasp. Undoing it, she slipped it onto her wrist, more than surprised to see such an object in her hands.

"Do you like it?" the question came from Oswald, breaking the awe struck silence enveloping her.

"Do I like it...? More like love it-!" she exclaimed, eagerly raising her hand up into the air to take a better look at the small trinket, grinning. "This is beautiful...!" Oswald was smiling softly again now, glancing back over towards her books in the distance with slight embarrassment as she continued, "Where did you get this, it's amazing!"

The young man chuckled, "Consider it a gift from Glen and I. It was his idea to get you the bracelet to match your dress, I was the one who picked it out though." So Glen thought of the gift? Smiling, she lowered her hand, once more picking up her fork as she continued to eat, more than a tad flushed over the gift. Not by it's beauty, oh no, more for the fact that the two had even given her such a present anyways. It wasn't often she would get the chance to celebrate her birthdays, the moment was almost too good for her to actually believe. Standing up, the woman approached the young man, wrapping her arms rightly around his shoulders as he stiffened in her grasp.

"Thank you so much..." she whispered, planting a gentle, quiet kiss on his cheek before sitting herself back down, a small flush on his face before that usual little smile of his. Turning herself in the seat, she let out a rough sigh, closing her eyes before stretching. "Ahhh...that was rather refreshing! Should we get back to the usual then?" Oswald glanced at the papers, then back to his sister, a soft shake of his head making her raise an eyebrow. "Eh? Why not?" she inquired, curious.

"...I was hoping that tonight we could simply celebrate your birthday." he mumbled, eyes glancing away from her figure at out through one of the grand windows. Lacie paused, a spare hand setting down the fork in her hand before smiling, very weakly. "Would you be alright with that?" Oswald asked, blinking in surprise when he saw her smile.

"Of course...! I would love that. Perhaps we could go to the rose garden?" standing up, she picked up the pile of materials from the table and set to work replacing them, a curious look washing over the other's face.

"The rose garden?" he echoed, distantly

"Yes! Have you ever seen how beautiful it is outside when it's dark out? We have all the time in the world right now, until dawn, it would be nice if we could go to the rose garden now..." her voice rung back as she emerged from the darkness, dusting off her dress before extending a hand. "You coming?"

He paused, eyeing her hand almost with a distant sort of gaze before extending his own hand. Lightly grasping it, he was surprised to feel the warmth of her palm seeping into his own, feeling the life and happiness within his body begin to gently soak into his body. To be honest, he was almost a little mesmerized on just how alive his sister truly felt at that moment, from the warmth of her hand to her laughter to the hurried pace of their feet in the darkness, making their way to the garden. Since when had they begun to move? Oswald blinked, more than a little flustered that he found himself _running _along side her down the hall, bursting forth the doors to the outside world.

_ Lacie...you're so alive tonight. _

The cold air of the outside world stung his throat and lungs, his feet quickly beginning to chill in the thick snow under their feet. She was smiling, laughing, still holding his hand tightly within her own as the two rushed out into the night. He wasn't sure what to think of the moment, only feeling the sway of his body through the chilly wind of the night, and the searing warmth of her palm within his own.

_ Can you...stay like this? _

By the time they had reached the garden, he was shivering, weakly in his rather light cloak. Lacie was without any sort of protection, only her night gown, which swayed quietly in the breeze as she crouched down by the blooming roses. Hell, the roses were _blooming _tonight...now how strange was that? He watched in silence, a sharp intake of breath as her hand left his own with an almost graceful movement. The warmth was gone, the life was gone...was this was the end was to be like? To have to banish her life with his own hand...the very hand which longed for her touch.

_ Lacie...I'll miss you, dearly, when you are gone._

Yet, he found himself smiling, smiling in the darkness in which surrounded his soul, his heart and his mind, the darkness that surrounded him in the middle of the night that loomed in the trees He smiled because she was smiling, laughing and bubbling with joy as she moved from flower to flower, blessing each one with fervent caresses with each gentle finger tip. He longed for such treatment from her with his own hands, with his heart, yet...he knew it wasn't to be. All he could do was watch, watch and not be aware of his sister's thoughts.

Unbeknownst to the two, their thoughts roamed on the same subject. The end. What would become of them? What would truly happen on that final day, the day when all of this will end once and for all? Will Lacie die instantly? Or will she begin to fade away by the bit in loneliness within the Abyss? How would Oswald take on his new 'fate' as it was so called? Both children knew what would happen, yet secretly feared for it to happen. Both longed to live this lie for as long as they could. There was only one thing that they could do now, and that was live out each moment, each second like no other. Each moment they held together had to be like their last, some of the most important ones, even.

A birthday was a perfect excuse, wasn't it?

* * *

_[Oh-look, another long break from me! 8'D I'm sorry about that! Also, here are the translations to the fics found within the fanfic. _

_*It's under the table, in the book.  
**Very good, you're getting great at it. _

_The second one might be incorrect but I lost the original file for the trans so...if if anything is wrong feel free to tell me!] _


End file.
